3rd Air Support Command: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:58, 23 January 2022

Revision as of 17:57, 25 January 2022

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{{about|the 3d Air Support Command disbanded in March 1942|the III3rd Air Support Command organized in May 1942|III Tactical Air Command}}

{{Infobox military unit

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|dates=1941-1942

|country={{USA}}

|branch={{army|USA}}<br/>{{air force|USA}}<ref group=note>In September 1947, when the United States Air Force became an independent service, all former Air Corps units were put under its control, including disbanded units.</ref>

|branch={{air force|USA}}

|type=

|role=Command and training of reconnaissance and light bomber forces

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==History==

[[General Headquarters Air Force]] (GHQ AF) reorganized its four regional air districts as [[Numbered Air Force]]s in the spring of 1941. By the fall of that year, each of these had organized as a support command and three combat commands.<ref>Cate & Williams, ppp. 152, 155</ref>

In the summer of 1941 GHQ AF had decided to establish commands to direct its [[air support]] mission in each numbered air force, plus one additional command reporting directly to GHQ AF. These commands would be manned from inactivating [[wing (military aviation unit)|wings]], and would initially control only observation squadrons, which would be transferred from the control of the corps and divisions, although they would remain attached to these ground units.<ref name=Futrell13>Futrell, p. 13</ref> [[3rd Air Force]] organized '''3rd Air Support Command''' at at [[Hunter Army Airfield|Army Air Base, Savannah]], Georgia in September 1941, Oklahoma where it drew its [[cadre (military)|cadre]] and equipment from the [[17th Air Division|17th Bombardment Wing]], which was simultaneously inactivated.<ref name=MaurerIIIASC>Maurer, p. 439</ref><ref name=Futrell13/> New observation groups were formed and assigned, with acadres drawn from [[cadreNational Guard (militaryUnited States)|cadre]] drawn from [[National Guard]] squadrons that had been mobilized in 1940 and 1941.<ref name=Futrell13/>

The command trained air force organizations for support operations and assisted in training ground forces.<ref name=MaurerIIIASC/> During the [[Carolina Maneuvers]] of 1941, the command was attached to [[IV Corps (United States)|IV Corps]]. Unlike the opposing force, the command's headquarters were located about sixty miles distant from that of the ground forces it supported, giving it greater freedom of action. As a result, its forces were used more aggressively and more frequently in an offensive role, than those of the opposing force.<ref>Futrell, p. 19</ref> After the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] it also conducted [[anti-submarine warfare|antisubmarine patrols]].<ref name=MaurerIIIASC/>

However, by early 1942, the command's first commander, Asa N. Duncan, like two of the other commanders of air support commands had moved overseas, and similar demands led GHQ AF to believe it had little more than the "remnants" of the command remaining.<ref name=Futrell13/> As a result, it was decided to disband the command. Its [[headquarters]] were moved to [[Drew Field]], Florida on 1 March and it was disbanded there on 16 March 1942.<ref name=MaurerIIIASC/>

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! Notes

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|[[File:American Campaign Streamer.png|200px]]||Antisubmarine||7 December 1941–16 March 1942||3rd Air Support Command<ref name=MaurerIIIASC/>

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